Method of and an apparatus for charging cellulose digesters or the like



S. SVENSSON A Jan. 28, 11936.

METHOD OF AND AN APPARATUS FOR CHARGING CELLULOSE DIGESTERS OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 27, 1934 S Sven 55m mve zhw Patented Jan. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OR THE LIKE Sjune Svensson, Hissmofors, Krokom, Sweden Application October 27, 1934, Serial No. 750,378 In Sweden May 27, 1933 Claims.

By means of the method described in the U. S. Patent No. 1,539,147 for charging cellulose digesters by means of steam which is forced into them considerable advantages have been obtained. Yet it has proved that under certain circumstances, for example, when the charge material is very dry, at quick filling, in using a high steam pressure etc., air accompanies the charge material down into the digester and dur- 0 ing the filling operation effects such a high overpressure in the same that drawbacks arise.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus, by which the said drawbacks .are overcome, and consists substantially in introducing into the downwardly flowing fibrous material before subjecting the same to the action of the current or currents of steam increasing the speed of the fibrous material, either the entire quantity or part of the excess steam assembling in the digester during the charging operation.

The excess steam from the digester may be introduced into the charge material in such direction that it has no entraining action upon the downwardly flowing material.

It has proved to be advantageous to introduce the excess steam into the downwardly flowing charge material in such a quantity that the steam completely or in part prevents the air an accompanying the charge material from getting into the digester.

The charge material may preferably be introduced into the digester through a pipe disposed in the upper portion of the digester, the excess 35 steam being supplied to the charge material,

while the latter passes this inlet pipe. The supplied excess steam is condensated in part in the charge material and an advantageous preliminary steaming is obtained thereby.

40 The accompanying drawing illustrates embodiments of an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention.

Figures 1, 3 and 5 are vertical sections of the apparatus and 45 Figures 2, 4 and 6 are horizontal views of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 3, 5 respectively.

Figure '7 shows an apparatus connected to a digester.

50 The same reference numerals refer to members having the same function in the various embodiments.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 numeral I indicates the main conduit, from 55 which the steam is taken to the apparatus.

Through the conduit 2 the steam is conducted to an annular collecting chamber 3, from which nozzles 4 open slantingly downwards into a cylinder 5 disposed below the collecting chamber. The charge material is supplied to the digester through the cylinder 6 and passes through a further cylinder 1 and through the cylinder 5 down into the digester. The cylinder 6 is slidably disposed in vertical direction by means of the spindles 8, so that an opening 9 may be obtained between the cylinders 6 and 'I. The disk I0 is secured in and tightens against the upper plane of the neck of the digester and supports the apparatus.

When the charge material flows down into the digester, it is spread and packed in the same by means of steam leaving through the nozzles 4. When the pressure in the digester has become sufliciently high excess steam will flow through the opening located between the cylinders 6 and 20 1 and be mixed with the charge material. The pressure in the digester is controlled by making the opening 9 larger or smaller. The steam is preferably supplied to the charge material through the opening 9 in such a quantity that air 25 accompanying the charge material is prevented from getting into the digester.

The embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 difiers from the one above described substantially in that the opening 9 has been replaced by a number of openings I I provided in the cylinder 6. The size of the said openings II is controlled by a cylindrical portion I2 disposed around the cylinder and by means of which the spindles I3 may be pushed over the openings I I.

In the apparatus shown in Figures 5 and 6 the steam is conducted through the pipe 2 to an annular collecting chamber 3, located around the upper portion of the apparatus. Steam pipes I4 lead from the collecting chamber to the nozzles 4, through which the steam flows out into the cylinder 5, the material flowing down through the cylinder 6 being entrained. The opening 9 is controlled in the same manner as in the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, viz. by sliding the cylinder 6 in vertical direction by means of the spindles 8. Reference numeral I0 indicates the same disk as in the preceding embodiments of the apparatus.

In Figure 7 numeral I5 indicates the digester in the neck of which the apparatus is disposed. The charge material is supplied to the digester I5 through the funnel I6 and the cylinder 6 and the steamis supplied through the conduit 2 down be adapted to be controlled ;ilThey:may*also.::be

of a certain fixed size adapted to" the pressure, which is intended to prevail in the digester during the'charging operation. a'lihesaidmressure should be an overpressure of..atmost,250 mm. water column.

The invention is not restricted to the charge ing of cellulose digesters but may be zuse'd: also for other similar purposes. 7

Having now" described" my: invention, *what I claim as :new and "desire'ito' secure "by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rme thodr'oi' "charging cellulose digesters with fibrous" material, for instance, chip wood,

in' which the speed of the charging: material is acc'e'lerated'ionly by means'of steam, introducing excess steam, assembled "in the digester' during the charging 'gperati0n,:'into the "downwardly flowing charging 'fmaterial before the "same 'is subjected to actuation'by the speed accelerating V steam; in such direction;fthatfit has no: entraining effect 'upon the charging -material and in such a quantity that.the excess 'steam prevents anaccompanying the charging "material from getting into the digester. V

2."In a, method of chargingcellulose rdigesters with fibrous 'materialffor' instance, chipi wood, wu'singsteam only as'spee'd accelerating 'means,

'introducingth'e ,Vcharging material .into the idi- ,,gester' through an'inlet' inthe upperportion of "the digester andiintroducing excess steam, 'as- ,semble'd in the digester during 1 the charging operation,into"theldownwardlyfiowing charging materialfb'efore the. same is subjected to"actua- "tion bythe speed accelerating steamfthrouigh at least oneopening provided in saidinlet.

'3.""In amethdd according tofclaim'2, controlthe like, in which there are provided in the upper :l'di'gester, and nozzles disposed below the said 4. An' arrangement in pellulose digesters and.

portion of the digesterazfillingpipe for introducing the charging material, the'isaid pipebeing provided with at least one'possiblycontrollable opening for introducing excess steam from the 10 openings and. serszing to introduce steam, which .istto have;an'ize ntraining action upon the material. r

5. Arrangement according to claim 4, in which .;an.-1anm1iar.=steam:;pipe is disposed outside the 5 Lfilling pipe and connected with'the nozzles for theintroduction of steam.

6. Arrangement according to claim 4, in' which .1thsifi11i11, pipe comprises two cylindrical parts one. locatedabove the other, through which the "fibrous"materiarfiows down into the digest {the interspace between the cylindrical-parts f ending the opening for introducing excess steam.

*7. "An arrangement in *cellirlose 'digesters, in which there-'areprovided in-theupper portion 25 of the digester two cylindrical parts onelocated above the other, through which the fibrous mate-V -rial "flowsdown into the *digester, the interspace between thecylindrical partsfornnng an' opening for-introducing "excess steamfrom the digester, g

and nozzles "disposed below said interspace and "servingto introduce' steam which is-to 'havean entraining action upon the material.

ii/Arrangement according to claim 7;inwhich the lowerpart-Of the filling pipe is'widenedbelow {3'5 7 

